SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – The recent congressional cuts to California’s High Speed Rail project are prompting questions in San Francisco about the future of the new Transbay Terminal, which is currently under construction at 1st and Mission streets.

“I guess it sounded like a good idea at the time,” surmised KCBS and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier about the $400 million project. “When California voters were approving the High Speed Rail project to connect San Francisco with L.A., San Francisco decided they were going to basically sort of put up a Grand Central Station of the west in downtown San Francisco. It was going to be a hub for all of the bus service from the East Bay, the North Bay, the peninsula, plus Caltrain.”

“And of course,” Matier pointed out, “the High Speed Rail, which was supposed to be zipping in and out, carrying tens of thousands of people.”

But now, not only does the High Speed Rail line look to be in jeopardy, funding has yet to be secured for a connection from Caltrain to the Transbay Terminal.

KCBS and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier Reports:

Future of San Francisco's Transbay Terminal Is Suddenly Murky

San Francisco, Matier added, didn’t appear willing to turn back.

“They can wind up with a very big basement with a bus station on top,” he warned.